Day 1-
Let%26#39;s start by saying that I love to travel. Well, not exactly. I love to be in another place doing things, but really I would rather transend space and time and blink my eyes like %26#39;I Dream of Jeannie%26#39; and just have it be done with...blink...your in Paris. But, I guess science has not figured out a way to do this just yet. OR...maybe they have and the government really keeps it under wraps so the airlines can still make money. I am not a person that likes to fly for more than about 2 hours. I get anxious, bored, stir crazy...etc. So 8 hours on a plane- just the thought of it gets me moving back and forth in my seat...what a nerve wracking experience. It is also a bit scary as this is my first time travelling alone in a foreign country where I do not know too much of the language. I am pleasantly surprised when I find a TV screen on the back of the seat in front of me and pretty large, comfy seats on my Air France direct flight from JFK to CDG. I am seated next to an older french couple that really don%26#39;t speak much english and I say...%26quot;great, I can practice my french%26quot;. Very soon after take off, being that it is an overnighter, we receive dinner. I am astounded that I receive an actual %26quot;MENU%26quot; from the flight attendant. My selection for the evening was prosciutto and melon, salmon and penne pasta in cream sauce, cheese, mini baguette, yogurt, lemon poppyseed cake and a free bottle of really good syrah from france...all for FREE, wine for FREE??? OK...did I metion that I will NOT ever, if possible take another American air carrier again...it is foreign for me from now on baby!
7 long hours later, with hardly any sleep we arrive in CDG airport. From deboarding -to me getting my luggage and being on my way- was a total of about 15 minutes! Really quick. I follow the signs to the RER- buy and ticket and a Carte Orange and head off. I struggle with manuevering my way thru the turnstyle and 2 young parisian boys were very kind, helped me thru and pointed me in the right direction of my train. Friendly and helpful already! GREAT!
The train ride was easy and rather relaxing. The weather was beautiful and clear. Got off at the St Michel station and of course....headed out in the wrong direction. I think I went out of the Cluny Sortie, quickly realized my mistake- but by that time I was disoriented. Stopped to ask a nice man for help and he directed me. I was surprised how far off the beaten track you can get in just a few minutes, just from getting out of the wrong subway Sortie. Lesson #1 learned.
After walking what seemed like forever, I arrive near the Pont Neuf and get my first look at the Seine and Notre Dame. It is spectacular. The buildings are all so huge and beautiful. The architecture was amazing. I just had to stand there for a few minutes- to soak it all up. I head up to the Place Dauphine and there I find the 400 yr old Hotel Henri IV, on the Ile de la Cite. I walk in and I am in shock how steep and winding the stairs are and di I mention steep, and also narrow! The women at the front desk seemed surprised when I tell her who I am...ok now I am SCARED..what they lost my reservation...then she says oh, yes....for 8 days....WHEW!
I go up to my room on the 3rd floor and find a small, but larger than I thought it would be, room, perfect for 1 person, a desk, double bed, wardrobe, sink, small shower and beautiful large window that let in lots of light and open onto the prettiest square in all of Paris(I have nothing really yet to compare it too)- the Place Dauphine. The room has no smoke oder whatsoever! It also has no phone or TV. But it is paris- who needs it. I throw down my bags, unpack for a few minutes, grab my maps, find the toilets on my floor and say- forget jet lag- I%26#39;m going out!
I find that I have an ATM(BNP- no charges from my bank) right around the corner and right next to that is a phone booth for calling home! I already love the location. I grab some $$$ from the ATM and head for St Chappelle. I try to purchase the museum pass at ST Chappelle and my VISA Check card gets declined...the clerk tells me that it says ABANDONED! WHAT- you have to be kidding me...this is my lifeline...what the heck is going on??? Thankfully I have the Euro that I just took from the ATM(incidentally with the very same card) and I pay in cash. I am now preoccupied, concerned and confused with this issue. I am thinking do I skip this church and go the the nearest phone to get this cleared up or stay or go or stay or go???? I decide I%26#39;ll deal with it later.
The church is beautiful and since it was a sunny afternoon- the stained glass was glowing. Did not spend alot of time here, but I also took some flyers for classical concerts, and went off to the Conciergerie. Saw some jail cells, saw some things left behind that Marie- Antionette used while she was there and there was a lovely courtyard in the back. Read something about what the word Concierge used to mean..and feeling like I need to get back outside, I head for Notre-Dame.
Notre Dame is HUGE. Also much bigger than I thought. I just keeping wondering why oh why the buildings are so HUGE. I mean I keep reading that people were smaller back then, so what is with the gimondous (my own word) buildings. It is never-the-less a work of art. It was late afternoon, so only some of the rose windows were filled with rays of sunlight- but the few that I saw I really appreciated! I continue back outside and walk the side of Notre Dame closest to the Siene- boy what a view. I love the ivy just dripping down the sides of the quais- very picturesque! I think i have already taken like 100 pictures. I take a stroll over to the Quai Montebello where the bouquinistas are selling their wares and I buy 4 lovely watercolor repo%26#39;s for 1E each! I could stay here and shop all day, but decide I%26#39;ll come again another time. I head for the rear of Notre Dame and admire the flying butressess and the park that is in front of them. I just remember thinking that Paris is so clean- and there are many people that work hard at keeping it that way. I spot a creperie and head over for a cheese crepe. The man making them is very nice and it is very interesting to watch him. It reminded me of a part in the movie Amelie, where she imagines music records being made like a crepe is made- only when I first saw the film- I did not know that a crepe was made that way- I wished I could jump behind and make one myself! He was speaking some Italian to some other customers- and I chimed in with some Italian and he was surprised. We chatted and I took my crepe and put on my sunglasses to walk away and he commented that I looked tres magnifique with my glasses on...like a real parisian girl-so that just made my whole day! Rico Suave I presume!
With my crepe in hand I head across the pont to the Ile St Louis. That I soon decide is my favorite! It is soo quiet, small little shops, restaurants and boutiques. I spent the rest of my afternoon roaming and window licking. I stop for some Berthillion ice cream- cassis and wild strawberry and I am pleasantly surprised....delicious- but more like a glace or sorbet rather than ice cream- but good...very good. I LOVE the Cassis! I later grab my 1st croissant- which is so flakey and buttery- just melts in my mouth. I actually have a %26#39;list%26#39; of food items that I have to try while here- so I just crossed off like 3 of them. I will later elaberate on what I did and did not have!
Here comes the best part! I keep walking along the quai and I stop for a short while to just stare at the water and rest for a few minutes. There is another couple sitting on a bench nearby. I feel something that I believe was a small rock hitting me, but I was a little confused- than I realize what happened...
A pigeon in the tree above me...yep..you know what I%26#39;m gonna say...He crapped right on me! OH MY GOD!!! How embarrassing! The only thing I could think of to say is that I think that is suppossed to mean GOOD LUCK!!! I could see that the couple near me had seen the whole thing- and i know they were laughing hysterically at me- who wouldn%26#39;t I would too! Good thing I always carry some of those handi-wipe things around with me....you never know when you will need one...and this is living proof. I clean myself up and head back to the Hotel feeling a bit violated.
I check out the views that are about 20 steps from my hotel on the Pont Neuf. I can see the Eiffel Tower from the pont. I can see the beautiful square at the tip of the Ile de la Cite.
I have a quick bite to eat for dinner at the Taverne Henri IV, right across from my hotel. I meet Phillipe, the manager and have a HUGE piece of quiche. It was thick like 4 inches thick with cheese, egg, carrots, broccolli and chicken- a meal in itself. Washed it down with a glass of beajoulais- delicious- all for I think 9 Euro. I asked him in French if he understood my very bad french and he laughed and said yes. Dind%26#39;t know if that meant he understood OR that I had really bad french. He will become a very nice acquaintance before I leave.
Ended the night with an evening cruise on the Siene from the Pont Neuf- right in back of my hotel- and saw all the sites. WOW- the Eiffel Tower at night was more spectacular and yes BIGGER than I thought! It is so beautiful in the dark. I know I will get SHOT for this, but I think when the light show comes on every hour for 10 minutes- that it cheapens the experience a bit. I prefer the way it looks when it just glows from within. To me it just feels/looks like the 4th of July, in which case it would look great if in fact only on the 4th of July, not May 11th. A great end to a great first day! My feet after day 1 are already showing/feeling signs of wear and tear! I feel some blisters comin on. I head home cause I am crashing big time from being up for about 24 hours! Stay tuned for Day 2! Hope you like the format!
Robin
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What a great first day - and what a GREAT report too!
This is going to be a wonderful read. I knew it would be, though.
You do know you left us with a cliff-hanger, right?
And I take it you are familiar with the word %26quot;leche-vitrine%26quot;...
Keep %26#39;em coming. You%26#39;re off to a terrific start!
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Wow, sounds great! Question, how bad is your %26quot;bad french%26quot;? Just want to compare notes, to see if the little I know will help at all. What kind of shoes were you wearing? Can%26#39;t wait to read more!!
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RPL67, I%26#39;ve walked past that hotel for so many years now, always wanting to drop in just to see what it was like !
Check out the PAUL%26#39;s restaurant just down the place from your hotel (it%26#39;s true that you picked one of the more special parts of town). There%26#39;s a little park at the edge of the island. You find the stairs behind the statue of Henry IV on the Pont Neuf.
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Aarrggh, just realised that you%26#39;re back already. :)
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What a great first day - can%26#39;t wait to read more. Makes me homesick..er, I mean Paris-sick. You all know what I mean.
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wow - 7 more days of trip reports like this! I cant wait
30 days until i go!!!
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Robin,
Great report! Make me feel I am there and sad that I%26#39;m not!
Judy
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Excellent report!!
Thanks for sharing!
Sue
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Ok- my shoes were $129 Dansko%26#39;s that are ordinarily comfortable on my feet. But I also don%26#39;t walk like 10 miles a day at home. I also brought my Deisel bowling type shoes- but quickly realized that the no arch support thing would kill me.
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Thanks for all the great detail, humore and suspense. Keep the reports coming!
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